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2012-2014 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2012-2014 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Health Policy and Management

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Bachelor of Science 

The Health Policy and Management Program (HPM) offers a course of study leading to the bachelor of science degree. The program prepares undergraduate students for entry-level positions in health services management, health policy making, and public health practice and also provides a strong foundation for graduate study. Required coursework builds on the student’s liberal arts background and fosters the value of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of health and health care. It seeks to develop future decision-makers and leaders who will navigate the complexities of the health care system with competence and compassion.

HPM faculty bring an interdisciplinary perspective to the study of health and health care; program faculty have graduate training in the history of medicine, medical anthropology, health politics and policy, and medical sociology. Our faculty are actively engaged in scholarly and applied research in their respective fields. All HPM majors are assigned a full-time faculty member as an academic advisor.

The program’s interdisciplinary perspective offers a unique training ground for those who will lead in the development of healthier communities through professional practice, research, and service. Our curriculum recognizes the need to balance theory with practice and provides for a structured field experience during the senior year. This required internship offers meaningful opportunities for students to link theory with practice, explore potential careers, and develop networking skills prior to graduation.

Graduates of the Health Policy and Management Program at Providence College work in many different areas both within and outside of the health care industry. In recent years our graduates have found employment in government, hospital administration, health insurance, health information technology, health law, health care financial management, human resources management, pharmaceutical sales and product development, public health, quality improvement, and research and teaching.

Required Courses

Academic programs vary in their requirements. Students should consult with their faculty advisor and the Academic Guidebook to review the Academic Planning Form pertinent to their program of study. In addition, students should review course descriptions regarding any prerequisites for required courses. Graduation requirements include a minimum of 120 credit hours, although some academic programs may require additional credits. Please refer to the Academic Resources section of the catalog for more information. Information regarding the new Core Curriculum, which takes effect with the Class of 2016, is available at http://www.providence.edu/academic-affairs/core-curriculum.

All students must complete 10 Health Policy and Management courses for a total of 30 credit hours. Courses from other departments at Providence College cannot be used to fulfill HPM major requirements. Students who have not completed the required courses prior to senior year may not be eligible to register for the program’s required field experience seminar without the permission of the program director. All HPM majors must complete the following core courses in the major:

Requirements for the Major

 

Elective Courses

Health Policy and Management majors must also complete a minimum of three (3) electives within the major. Students define their area of interest/specialization through their choice of elective courses.

Field Experience

The program’s required field experience is a capstone course taken during the senior year which couples work in the field (a minimum of 120 hours) with a seminar. During the course of their field placement, students will have many opportunities to learn from practitioners and to practice their professional skills in real world settings. In the field, students will be expected to apply concepts and skills from their previous coursework to practical problems in their organization. The field experience is a required component of the Health Policy and Management major at Providence College and at other HPM programs around the nation, for it offers students a unique opportunity to “test drive” a career. A successful internship will provide students with letters of reference, networking opportunities, and firsthand experience in the “real world” prior to graduation. Students may only enroll in HPM 450 once.

Special Topics Research Seminars

The program offers a variety of special topics seminars (HPM 470 - Special Topics in Health Policy and Management) that reflect the program’s desire to strengthen student research and writing skills. All sections of HPM 470 require students to write a significant original research paper and to analyze, rather than merely describe, health care issues through this assignment. Additional writing and/or oral presentations may also be required. HPM 470 is typically reserved for junior and senior majors. In recent years, seminars addressed comparative health policy, culture, health and illness, drugs and disease, gender and health, global health, health care in popular culture, heart disease, and medical sociology.

The Health Policy and Management program does not offer a minor.

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